The first, BOM Baked (aka BOM B) is kilned at low temperature, producing a smooth round taste of caramelized sugars and fresh bread. BOM Wheat is malted wheat offering a note like popcorn (look for it late in the palate), as well as amped-up head retention. BOM Thorefacto has a name that suggests it should not be messed with (“Your name?” “THOREFACTO!”), though is in fact a contraction of Van Hecke’s first son’s name and the Torrefacto means...

For us this felt like the perfect kind of beer to toss in the cellar for a bit and pour into some sort of snazzy snifter once the outside temperatures took a nosedive. ‘Shameless’ is one way to put it. Unabashed is another. For us, it felt about as generous as the concept of a big jolly gentleman trying to squeeze down one’s chimney to bring one some sweet wrapped-up loot. Do go easy on this one, and keep in mind that the large format and...

"I'm dreaming of a GIANT Christmas…" so goes that old classic Irving Berlin tune… or something like that. Downing a few firkins of this brew is how the giants of Irchonwelz celebrate the holiday, or at least, that's what the brewery tells us. The rest of us can get away with a few tulips full. This is a great holiday dinner beer, particularly with stuffing made with raisins, cranberry sauce, and cloved and/or candied hams. Even the subtle...

Slaapmutske’s Christmas beer pours a deep burgundy-brown, capped by a robust head of tan foam that clings to the glass and drops plenty of lace as it recedes. Caramel notes are apparent in the aroma, along with hints of mild chocolate or cocoa powder and touches of spice reminiscent of gingerbread. These spices come through on the palate, as well, presenting hints of ginger, nutmeg, clove and pepper – but they are all phenols given off by the...

According to our sources, this was the first beer brewed by Christian Moerlein back in 1853. We think he’d be proud of how well his namesake brewery is still making it over a century and a half later. On the nose, look for notes of toasted crackers and fresh bread dough, with a bit of coffee and supporting hints of fig-like fruit and a touch of rum. We found the palate presented a more caramelly and chocolaty character than the aroma...

On the nose, look for some fruity, juicy notes, almost like apple juice spiked with brown sugar, with ample ripe red apple notes, pears, a touch of Belgian-beer-like sweetness, fresh barley grains, a hint of alcohol, and grassy hops that lean more toward citrus as the beer warms. Expect this beer to come at the palate quite sweet, with an orange-rind tone. But there's a tongue-coating dryness from the hops that quickly dries things out and holds on for a lengthy, citrusy, grassy hop finish, with barley grains peaking late in the finish.

RJ Rockers’ version of America’s favorite craft brew style is a new recipe, launched just a few months ago. We liked the look of it right away, as it presents with a rich, reddish amber color promising a sturdy malt core. Floral-citric hop notes are obvious in the aroma, as are caramel malt undertones with a hint of toastiness. On the palate, this IPA offers a classic American hop profile. Expect the floral, citric, and somewhat spicy hop aroma of Cascade and Columbus to come through in the flavor as well, along with more than a touch...

RJ Rockers’ brown ale pours an attractive reddish-brown mahogany color topped off with a fluffy cap of foam that drops a bit of lacing as you go. On the nose, expect moderate sweetness, with a light toasty breadiness, mild nuttiness, and a subdued chocolate undertone, with perhaps just a touch of balancing hops. On the palate, look for this medium bodied brew to present a nice roasty flavor with notes of coffee, prominent cocoa, toasted brown...